1. Marie Walewska, Countess Walewska was a Polish noblewoman in the court of Napoleon I who used her influence to sway the emperor towards the creation of an independent Polish state.
18 Facts About Marie Walewska
1. 2.
Marie Walewska had six siblings: Benedykt Jozef, Hieronim, Teodor, Honorata, Katarzyna and Urszula-Teresa.
3.
Marie Walewska grew up in her ancestral home, Kiernozia palace, where she received an upper-class education.
4.
Marie Walewska was being advised to work towards a position in the inner circle of Napoleon by the Emperor's aide, General Geraud Duroc.
5.
Marie Walewska visited Napoleon, residing in the capital's Royal Castle, only at nights and would secretly leave the building each morning.
6.
The relationship progressed when Napoleon moved to his field headquarters in Finckenstein Palace in East Prussia : Marie Walewska followed him there and they moved into neighbouring apartments.
7.
In 1809 Marie Walewska followed Napoleon during his journey to Vienna, where she lived in a house near Schonbrunn Palace, Napoleon's residence.
8.
Marie Walewska settled in a palatial residence in the Rue de Montmorency and was given a large rent of 120,000 francs and a permission to enter all of the imperial museums, but her relationship with Napoleon ended.
9.
Marie Walewska waited throughout the night in an anteroom for his summons.
10.
Marie Walewska had set up a tent in the garden to host his guests.
11.
Marie Walewska died in Paris shortly afterwards due to a prolonged kidney illness.
12.
Marie Walewska had a niece, named Barth, who lived in Bergen, Norway.
13.
Marie Walewska's book claimed that she was involved in taking major political decisions related to the development of Duchy of Warsaw and engaged herself in disputes with figures such as Jozef Poniatowski or Joachim Lelewel.
14.
Marie Walewska noted the numerous discrepancies between the French and English editions of the book.
15.
However, Savant in his next book L'Affaire Marie Walewska attempted to prove the contrary.
16.
Marie Walewska was the subject of the 1914 Polish film Countess Marie Walewska, directed by Aleksander Hertz.
17.
Marie Walewska's story is told in a 1937 film Conquest, known as Marie Walewska.
18.
Marie Walewska was played by Alexandra Lara in the 2002 Napoleon miniseries.